Applying for Uni 2020

[daydreamornot]

Thought it may be nice to have a 2020 support thread, everyone welcome! (maybe Oxbridge posts could be kept to the Oxbridge thread).

St Andrews?

Current list starts with the C word and then goes St Andrews, Bath, and probably Nottingham (visiting in a couple of weeks).
Durham and Warwick have been considered but ruled out for different reasons. And in any case she really needs another option that doesn't insist on A*'s, to give her a better spread.

Hasn't considered Loughborough. She's not remotely sporty - would that be an issue?

York (and I was going to sa Nottingham)

Southampton AAA but AAB in clearing, or Exeter AAB but ACC in clearing.

What about Birmingham? AAA

I was going to say Birmingham too. It's a big city but doesn't feel like it when you're there and the campus is lovely.

Anecdotally my DD had ruled it out for various reasons and preconceptions and didn't even want to visit. One of her teachers convinced her to go and have a look as she has connections there and thought the course (not maths) would suit DD.
She went along reluctantly to an open day and it went immediately to the top of her list.

We did the same re Birmingham

That's interesting to hear about Birmingham. We're going to the open day in October as it has been recommended to dd by her tutor at college.

I can't sing the praises of Bham high enough (from my niece's point of view). They were utterly amazing in every respect (when she started the UNi she was quite low because DM was undergoing treatment for Breast Cancer). They have ticked every single box. My niece had a UC offer which understanding the circumstances was the right thing to do (although she smashed her A-Levels). Bham was instrumental in finding DD her internship - who then sponsored her Masters and she is just about to join the same company on the permanent staff. Such an incredibly positive experience.

I don't think there is an issue with mentioning Oxford or Cambridge on this thread BUT I think when the thread was started the inference was to keep the O & C posts on that thread - which I think is a good policy so this thread attracts a wider audience and a more balanced view of Uni applications.

I spent 6 happy years at B'ham decades ago, while it ticks many of daal's boxes I couldn't honestly say it had 'Easy access to somewhere calm and peaceful' . Lancaster would be good for that (I live near there now, loads of good places to walk / cycle and it's really more like a large market town than a city.

Hi happy to join this thread my DD is studying psychology economics and politics and hoping to do law, possibly at kings college or Manchester where her Dad studied. Toying with Oxford but not that keen.

Must admit I hadn't even considered Birmingham as it's such a big city. Interesting to hear that the campus doesn't feel that way. Apparently her close friend (also maths) is v keen on Lancaster and has visited so can tell her about it. Frankly we are running out of stamina for any more open days. So I'll push these and other suggestions her way and get her looking online.

Birmingham is a beautiful campus. DD2 did law there and graduated 4 years ago. DD2 is very set on going there for Psychology. The new library is amazing and the campus is largely set round a square. My eldest was rather taken with it having its own train station and this makes the bull ring and Centre very accessible. Neither had any desire for somewhere calm and peaceful in Close proximity though. Both their criteria was a campus close to a decent sized city. From this point of view she will be applying to Exeter but probably the city isn't big enough for her but for your DD it would definitely fit the bill. We have also ruled out Loughborough and Warwick because they are not attached to big cities but otherwise look lovely.

DS also loved the campus and library at Birmingham and it's on his list for philosophy. I was very taken with it, too!

Did wonder about Exeter. DH is prejudiced against their "probably the best university in the world" slogan, but I have pointed out that he's about 30 years out of date .

Just sent DD off to year 13 enrollment. Her friend cheerfully pointed out that it is their "last first day at school". At this rate, it's going to be a long year of "lasts"!!

That slogan piqued my curiosity

https://thetab.com/uk/exeter/2014/05/06/exeter-probably-the-best-university-in-the-world-17577

Hm... I think perhaps more marmite than carlsberg.

I remember that car sticker!

Ah, the "probably" stickers/t-shirts/bookmarks... - never did buy one

Anyway, I'm back off holiday and finding that the thread is moving on - hello again.

DS went into college today & agreed with his teachers that he's dropping Comp Sci, since he only got a D for that at AS. That leaves him with Physics (with resits), Maths (possibly also resits) and Further Maths. He says he's happy with that, and seems less stressed than he has been since results day.

What I don't really know, not having been here before, is what the effect of poor AS grades is on his application. I'm guessing that with B (A level) & C, D (AS) he's unlikely to get offers from anywhere that asks for AAA, so he'll need to look for lower requirements, but how much lower? Is BBB likely to be out of court too - he & his teachers think that's a reasonable target at the moment?

I'm hoping that now he's sorted what he's doing this year I can actually get him moving on applications - he hasn't even signed up for UCAS yet, or any open days, let alone start on his PS. He's back at college tomorrow, so I'm hoping they'll do a bit of pushing from their end!

Little oases of calm and peace other than the actual green bits of the campus at Birmingham - Winterbourne House and Gardens (free entry for UoB students, I think) just across Edgbaston Park Road; Birmingham Botanical Gardens (walkable from the Vale); the Barber Institute (art gallery) on campus.

oneofthegiants If he’s got B already for maths then a prediction of B for FM is possible/likely, and B for physics if he got C, so long as he puts some targeted work in. Why is he resitting, though? AS doesn’t count towards A levels and resits results will be too late to have much effect. Maybe resitting the maths A level wouldn’t hurt?

DS is doing similar subjects but is doing maths and FM in parallel. I assume your DS did just maths this year and now starting FM?

If it’s at all useful, Exeter was in clearing for maths at ACC, so even if he doesn’t get an offer, first time around, if he pulls up his maths there may be good places available in clearing/adjustment.

MarchingFrogs you are painting a lovely picture. But I don't think DD will be able to get her head around the sheer size of Birmingham, given that she found Durham a bit busy and urban . It's going to be interesting to see how she finds Nottingham next weekend. It's the biggest city she's contemplated so far, but I know my way around so I'm hoping to show her that there are still nice quiet places to escape to.

What about Royal Holloway if she wants somewhere small, campus based and near countryside? It is just outside Windsor.

Google an image of it. It is one of the most stunning university buildings in the UK.